As I'm on holiday, I took advantage of the chance to go an see the new film "The Butler" at the Coronet in Notting Hill Gate, It felt a little bit strange to be going to the cinema on a weekday afternoon, but that is one of the advantages of being on holiday. The Coronet has special prices for matinees - £4,50 instead of £7.30. Not as good as the special Tuesday prices, but still better than the evening ones.
"The Butler" tells the story of Cecil Gaines, who having been born on a cotton farm in the South, moves north as a young man and gets job as a butler at the White House, serving under no less than eight presidents.
Forest Whitaker gives a superb performance as a man proud of his job and with a real dedication to providing the best service possible to the most powerful men in the world. He is a servant, but not subservient; he knows his job back to front, and enjoys providing an impeccable service.
There are ups and downs in his home life, as well as the constant changes at work as presidents come and go, including one of his his son's involvement with the Black Panthers; as a butler at the White House, he is apolitical, and does not get involved in the civil rights movement which was taking place throughout so much of his tenure. He was proud that his other son served in Vietnam, saddened by hsi death in action.
It is only at the end, when he has left his job at the White House, that he becomes involved politically, campaigning for his son, now older and wiser, in bis bid to become senator.
Forest Whitaker looked the part of the very formal butler, but the various presidents and their wives are also well cast,particularly the Kennedys.
Altogether an excellent film - well shot, well- scripted and well cast.
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